When Love is a Burden

4th Chapter

iv.

HAVING good friends means having a great secret keeper. In her desire to go out on the weekend with her boyfriend whom she hadn't seen for several days, nakipagsabwatan si Alodia sa dalawa niyang kaibigan to do the unthinkable. Despite being called 'gossipers', marunong din namang magtago ng sikreto sina Golda at Chynna. Golda and Chynna know that Alodia's family opposes her relationship with her boyfriend. It's really hard to love when there are many objections; she feels like she's shouldering all the pain and must first pass through trials before she can be with Lyle. Alodia convinced her two friends to tell her father that they would be going out together. To make his dad believe, her friends even picked her up right from their house. Lingid sa kaalaman ng ama, she would be meeting Lyle again.

"So, saan kayo magkikita ng boyfriend mo?" Golda asked. Nasa front seat siya at nagmamaneho. Habang si Alodia ay nasa tabi niya at si Chynna naman ay nakahiga sa likod.

"Sa park lang malapit sa school." she answered looking so nervous.

"Bakit kasi hindi mo na lang sabihin kay Lyle na hindi ka pinapayagan ni tito na makasama siya. Para naman hindi lang ikaw ang gumagawa ng efforts para magkita kayo." Chynna suggested after she licked her lollipop.

Umiling naman si Alodia.

"As much as possible, ayukong isipin niya na may against sa relasyon namin. I want to maintain our perfect relationship." she stared blankly ahead.

"Well if he truly loves you, he should also know and accept that you have a disparaging and prideful family," Golda replied with a shrug.

"I don't want our relationship to become complicated once he finds out about it. I'm afraid it might cause our relationship to fall apart. I've been protecting our relationship for so long, ayukong masira iyon sa isang iglap." her expression turned mournful.

"Ang swerte nong Lyle na 'yon sa'yo. Sa four years niyong relasyon, mabuti't hindi kayo nagsawa sa isa't isa. He's literally your first boyfriend, sure ka na bang siya ang gusto mong pakasalan?" Chynna asked.

"Of course. I want a date to marry relationship kaya dapat kong panindigan ang relasyon namin." she sighed heavily after answering Chynna's question.

"Y-you're hella serious about that? I mean, girl, he's your first boyfriend and do you know the law of love?" Golda punctuated her statement in a serious tone.

"I don't care about those things. I'm mad serious, si Lyle lang ang nakikita kong makakasama ko in the near future." may diing sagot ni Alodia.

"Sinabi ko rin 'yan sa first boyfriend ko nong kami pa." Chynna let out a snort of laughter making Alodia's face gone mad.

"But seriously, sometimes there are cases where your first love becomes your last too. Did you ever have a crush on someone when you were young?" napakurap pa si Alodia sa tanong ni Golda. She's the N.B.S.B in the circle, paanong siya pa ang love expert dito?

Alodia nodded and raised her eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"

"Let's just assume that your first love is your childhood crush, basically a puppy love. Your second love is Lyle, and do you know what happens with second loves? The person you loved will just practically be a part of your growth as an individual. Your second love will show you true love but eventually, that's where you'll also experience the real pain of love. In other words hindi talaga kayo ang end game." Chynna cracked up and eventually burst in laughter on what Golda stated.

Seryuso namang nakinig sa sinabi ni Golda si Alodia. Chynna gave her a slow clap and she can't even stop her laughter. Inis siyang inirapan ni Golda.

"Totoo ba 'to? Kailan ka pa nagbigay ng love advice na ganyan kahaba bwahahaha!" Chynna giggled endlessly.